Black Myth Wukong is a threat

Summary

The video discusses the controversy surrounding 'Black Myth Wukong,' an anticipated game facing criticism from Western media. The game has gained significant interest, becoming the most wishlisted on Steam. Critics have accused the developers of sexism, based on mistranslated social media posts. The video argues that these accusations are unfounded and that the media's focus on them detracts from the game's quality. It also touches on the broader issue of Western critics potentially viewing non-Western games as a threat, and the importance of focusing on the game's merits rather than the developers' personal lives.

Takeaways

• 🐵 Black Myth: Wukong is a highly anticipated game, especially among Souls-like game fans.
• 📰 The media has been critical of the game, with some journalists attempting to paint the developers in a negative light.
• 🔥 The game has gained significant attention, becoming the most wishlisted game on Steam and attracting a large number of players during its benchmark testing.
• 🚀 Despite being their debut title, Game Science, the developer of Black Myth: Wukong, is poised for a potential breakout hit.
• 🏞️ The game is inspired by the Chinese novel 'Journey to the West' and offers a unique setting and gameplay experience.
• 🤫 There have been allegations of sexist comments from the developers, which have been met with silence or no comment from the studio.
• 🌐 The game's success could signify a breakthrough for Chinese game developers in the global market, which has been dominated by mobile gaming.
• 🤔 The pressure on Game Science is immense, not just from development but also from cultural and language barriers, as well as Western media scrutiny.
• 🗣️ Some Western critics seem to be against the game's success, possibly due to a perceived threat to their narrative or influence.
• 💬 There's a call for responsible journalism in gaming media, with a need for accurate reporting and a focus on the game's quality rather than unrelated controversies.

Q & A

What is the title of the game discussed in the transcript?

The title of the game discussed is 'Black Myth Wukong'.

Why is 'Black Myth Wukong' receiving significant attention before its release?

'Black Myth Wukong' is receiving significant attention because it is highly anticipated by fans, especially those who enjoy Souls-like games, and it has become the most wishlisted game on Steam.

What is the main concern raised by the media regarding 'Black Myth Wukong'?

The main concern raised by the media is the alleged inappropriate comments and behavior by the developers at Game Science, which some journalists are using to question the studio's values and suggest that the game should not be supported.

What is the significance of the game's cultural origin as mentioned in the transcript?

The game is significant because it is based on the Chinese novel 'Journey to the West' and represents a major AAA title coming from China, a country not commonly known for such games in the Western market.

What was the outcome of the Benchmark tool test for 'Black Myth Wukong'?

The Benchmark tool for 'Black Myth Wukong' brought in over 85,000 players at its peak, which is 40 times the amount of players that Sony's open Beta of 'Concord' had.

What was the Guardian journalist's experience with the game?

The Guardian journalist, Tom Rean, confirmed that the game delivers on its promise with fluid combat, reflex-testing difficulty, and a cinematic sheen similar to 'God of War'.

What was the controversy surrounding the developers' comments as reported by IGN?

The controversy involved alleged sexist comments from Game Science developers and leadership, which were reported by IGN but were later found to be heavily mistranslated and misrepresented.

Why did Game Science refuse to comment on the allegations of inappropriate behavior?

Game Science refused to comment on the allegations, focusing instead on the game's demo and gameplay, possibly due to cultural differences, fear of misinterpretation, or a strategy to avoid controversy.

What is the role of Chinese mobile gaming in the global market as discussed in the transcript?

Chinese mobile gaming has dominated the market with games like Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact, paving the way for Chinese developers to reach global markets and influence the gaming industry.

What is the author's stance on the media's approach to covering 'Black Myth Wukong'?

The author is critical of the media's focus on the developers' alleged comments rather than the game itself, suggesting that some Western critics view Chinese-made games as a threat and are trying to undermine their success.

Outlines

00:00

🐵 Anticipation and Controversy Surrounding Black Myth Wukong

The paragraph discusses the high anticipation for the game 'Black Myth Wukong', especially among Souls game fans. It notes the game's popularity, being the most wishlisted on Steam and attracting a large number of players through its benchmark tool. The developer, Game Science, is under scrutiny, with some media outlets attempting to discredit them due to alleged controversial statements by the developers. The paragraph emphasizes the game's potential as a breakthrough title for the studio and the cultural significance of a Chinese-developed AAA game.

05:01

📰 Media's Unfair Treatment of Black Myth Wukong's Developer

This paragraph delves into the media's obsession with the game's developer, Game Science, focusing on criticisms and controversies rather than the game's merits. It references an article from The Guardian that criticizes the developer's alleged sexist comments, despite these claims being based on mistranslations and misrepresentations. The paragraph argues that Western critics are unfairly targeting the game and its developers, potentially due to a cultural bias or a narrative that doesn't align with their expectations.

10:04

🤔 The Impact of Misrepresentation and Media Bias on Game Reception

The paragraph discusses the negative impact of misrepresentation and media bias on the reception of 'Black Myth Wukong'. It points out that some journalists have focused on controversies rather than the game's quality, potentially detracting from its success. The paragraph also touches on the broader issue of media influence and the importance of accurate reporting, suggesting that some media outlets may be trying to shape public opinion unfairly.

15:05

🎮 The Relevance of Game Media and the Future of Black Myth Wukong

In this final paragraph, the focus is on the diminishing relevance of traditional game media due to their perceived lack of independent thought and the pursuit of sensationalist headlines. It criticizes certain journalists for their disingenuous reporting and calls for a return to honest and accurate journalism. The paragraph ends on a hopeful note for 'Black Myth Wukong', expressing excitement for the game's release and the potential for it to defy negative media narratives.

Keywords

💡Black Myth Wukong

Black Myth Wukong is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by Game Science. The game is highly anticipated and has garnered significant attention due to its stunning visuals and gameplay inspired by the Chinese novel 'Journey to the West.' In the video script, the game is central to the discussion, with the speaker expressing excitement and addressing controversies surrounding its development.

💡Game Science

Game Science is a video game development company based in China, responsible for creating Black Myth Wukong. The company is highlighted in the script as a new studio facing the challenge of developing a AAA title, which is a significant undertaking for a debut game. The script discusses the pressure and expectations Game Science is facing, as well as the controversy surrounding alleged mistranslations of comments made by its employees.

💡Mistranslation

Mistranslation refers to the inaccurate or misleading translation of text, often due to cultural or linguistic nuances. In the context of the video, it is mentioned as a key issue where the game's developers have been accused of making sexist comments based on mistranslated social media posts. The script argues that these mistranslations have led to unfair criticism and a tarnished reputation for Game Science.

💡Controversy

Controversy in this script pertains to the negative press and public debate surrounding Black Myth Wukong and Game Science. The controversy stems from allegations of sexism within the company, which the speaker claims are based on mistranslations and misrepresentations by Western media. The controversy is a central theme in the video, with the speaker discussing its impact on the game's reception and the media's role in it.

💡Western Critics

Western Critics mentioned in the script refer to journalists and reviewers from Western countries who have criticized Black Myth Wukong and Game Science. The speaker argues that these critics are attempting to undermine the game's success and are not giving the developers a fair chance, instead focusing on controversies rather than the game's merits.

💡Cultural Differences

Cultural differences are the distinctions in customs, social norms, and values between different societies. The script suggests that cultural differences play a role in the misinterpretation of Game Science's employees' comments, as Western critics may not fully understand the cultural context of their statements, leading to mistranslations and misunderstandings.

💡Meme Culture

Meme culture refers to the spread of ideas, concepts, and humor through the internet, often in the form of images, videos, or text. The script mentions meme culture as part of the developers' human nature to engage in humorous or crude online interactions. The speaker argues that critics are unfairly holding the developers accountable for their participation in meme culture.

💡Media Influence

Media influence refers to the power that media outlets have in shaping public opinion and perception. In the video, the speaker discusses how certain media outlets have tried to influence the narrative around Black Myth Wukong by focusing on controversies rather than the game's quality, potentially affecting the game's success and public perception.

💡AAA Games

AAA (Triple-A) games are high-budget, high-profile video games with significant marketing and development resources behind them. The script discusses Black Myth Wukong as a potential AAA game from a new studio, which is an unusual and impressive feat, given the scale and quality expected from such titles.

💡IGN

IGN is a popular video game and entertainment media website, often involved in reviewing and reporting on games. In the script, IGN is criticized for its role in spreading misinformation about Game Science, based on mistranslated comments, which the speaker argues has contributed to the controversy and negative perception of the game.

💡Journalistic Integrity

Journalistic integrity refers to the commitment to accurate, fair, and unbiased reporting. The script questions the integrity of certain game journalists and media outlets, suggesting that they have been dishonest in their coverage of Black Myth Wukong and Game Science, prioritizing sensationalism over factual reporting.

Highlights

Black Myth Wukong is one of the most anticipated games of the year, especially for Souls-like game fans.

The game has faced controversy and negative press despite its popularity and high wishlist numbers on Steam.

An article from The Guardian criticizes the game's developer, Game Science, for alleged sexist comments.

The game's success is significant as it's Game Science's debut title and has already seen high player engagement with its benchmark tool.

The game is based on the Chinese novel 'Journey to the West' and offers a unique setting in the gaming industry.

Game Science's co-founder expresses gratitude for player tolerance and market support as a new studio.

Chinese game developers are increasingly reaching global markets, challenging traditional gaming powerhouses.

The game's developers feel under immense pressure, with more restrictions than Western studios when releasing games.

Western critics are accused of not wanting to see the game succeed due to cultural and ideological differences.

The game's success is seen as a threat by some in the Western gaming media who prefer studios that align with their narrative.

An IGN report on alleged sexist comments by Game Science employees was found to be mistranslated and misrepresented.

Game Science has chosen not to engage with the media on the controversy, focusing solely on the game's development.

The gaming community is more interested in the quality of the game rather than the personal views of its developers.

The video discusses the decline in credibility of traditional gaming media due to sensationalism and lack of accountability.

The speaker looks forward to the game's release to see how it will be received despite the media's attempts to influence public opinion.

The video concludes with a call for gaming media to focus on the games themselves rather than personal attacks on developers.

Transcripts

black myth Wukong is one of the most

anticipated games of this year if you're

anything like me you're looking forward

to it I can't wait I'm a big Souls fan

to begin with so I can't wait to get my

hands on it but with that said it's also

been a game that's had a lot of hit

pieces ran on it ever since the game's

reveal just recently I ended up reading

an article from the guardian where

they're going in and talking and paring

the same points that I've seen many

other journalists say and trying to

paint the game in a bad picture

specifically trying to send the message

that you know hey yeah it looks like a

good game but you know the developer

doesn't say very nice things and we

probably shouldn't support them so today

what I want to do is I want to talk

about the media's obsession with black

myth Wukong but more than anything I

want to talk about why they're obsessed

if you haven't heard black myth Wukong

is blowing up before its release the

game is already the most wishlisted game

on Steam and just the other day The

Benchmark tool brought in over 85,000

players at its peak an optimization

testing tool brought in more players 40

times the amount of players is Sony's

open Beta of Concord low blow I know but

it'll become a little bit more relevant

later on with that said black myth

wukong's developer game science likely

has a breakout hit on their hands and

this is their debut title but there are

those that are out there that want to

try and stand in its way just a couple

weeks ago Tom rean of the Guardian wrote

an article titled black myth Wukong The

Summer's most exciting and most

controversial video game this beautiful

looking action game is based on Journey

to the West the great Chinese novel but

its own journey to release has hit a

bump in the road Tom writes after

playing mukong for an hour and a half in

a London hotel suite watched nervously

by game science employees I can confirm

that somewhat miraculously this stunning

Chinese mythological Twist on Dark Souls

delivers on that showy trailer marrying

fluid feeling combat and reflex testing

difficulty and the expensive filmic

Sheen of something like God of War as I

Sprint through wukong's dense jungle

ducking and dodging through a deadly

array of Flora and Fauna I come face to

face with everything from gee wearing

toads to nightmare's gigantic headed

infants unlike many of its brutally

challenging from software inspired peers

the difficulty in Wukong feels expertly

judged my Simeon Avatar met a Grizzly

end more times than I care to admit but

I persevered eventually I defeated

enough foes to unlock new abilities soon

I perch a top my staff mid attack giving

me an edge against its murderous

mythological monsters I can Buzz around

the forest as a stealthy cicada summon

Flames from my glaive and eventually

topple a snarly Lor sized werewolf at

top a crumbling Temple we're under great

pressure reflects one of game science's

co-founders who was introduced only as

Ted game science wouldn't give his full

name via translator this is the first

time we have worked on a PC and console

game and we are also a new studio so we'

really like to thank how tolerant the

players and the market is towards us

their excitement encourages us however

the thinking of Chinese people tends to

be we look at the risks and therefore

when we're faced with such great

encouragement the best thing we can do

is to try our best to satisfy the

expectations of the players and

communicate with the players in a very

honest way China has dominated the

mobile gaming Market you look at

everything that hoyo verse has done from

genin Impact is endless Zone zero honkai

star rail honkai impact third these

games made a lot of money they have a

lot of players and what they've done is

they've actually paved the way for

Chinese developers to be able to reach

Global markets something that was

relatively inaccessible for them in the

past and in that I'm actually kind of

surprised that we're not seeing more

skepticism when it comes to a new studio

that hasn't released a game before

that's releasing a AAA game that looks

as good as this does and it's coming

from a country that we normally don't

see a lot of games come from in the

first place but I think it's great that

we are seeing support because from my

perspective I just want to see more

video games and the more countries that

are out there that are making them the

more diverse ideas and cool games that

we can play and that's what I'm all

about and to be honest we haven't really

even seen that many AAA games come from

China in the first place I think the

only one that I can think of off the top

of my head is like rock a blade Point

that's pretty much about it but one of

the things the developers brought up was

that they feel like they're under a lot

of pressure and I don't think people

really understand or recognize just how

much pressure that they're under

CU keep in mind they have far more rules

and restrictions that they need to

follow before they can even try to ship

a game outside of their country and way

more restrictions than Western Studios

have that's for sure but with that said

you also have you know clashes in

culture and things like that and I think

what they've chose to do especially with

blackm Wukong is just well emulate the

success of another game and try to adapt

their ideologies or their philosophies

of game design into their game and

that's what black myth Wukong kind of

repres sense to me it's a smart idea

you're going to be able to hook up with

a pretty large audience because a lot of

people really like Souls games

especially after Elden ring so it's a

great idea to be able to reach as many

players as you possibly can but one of

the other difficulties that they're

running into is one that's completely

unnecessary and it's the fact that for

some odd reason there are a lot of

Western critics that do not want to see

this game get any level of success Tom

continues with his article saying I am

unfortunately met with very little

honest communication when I bring up a

report from IGN which related alleged

sexist comments from multiple developers

at game science as well as those in

leadership roles I presented Ted with

the opportunity to address those claims

of misogynistic posts and whether he

feels they represent game science's

values instead I am shut down with a

hasty no comment from their UK PR

representative and then after a long

wait given a longer statement of no

comment via Ted's translation later I am

then told that game science's uspr

agency will follow up later with a

prepared statement only to be sent the

following game science is focused on the

demo at this time and will only answer

questions related to gameplay the same

thing happened to an IGN reporter at a

demo in Los Angeles last month it is

disappointing that game science is

opting to invite journalists to speak to

them and play the game but refusing to

answer their questions perhaps there is

no reassurance to offer a generous

reading of the situ sitation would be

that this is an inexperienced Studio

petrified of saying the wrong thing yet

in failing to say anything at all game

science is also failing to distance

itself and its game from multiple crude

disparaging and misogynistic comments

attributed to its employees and

Leadership Journey to the West of course

is no stranger to the world of video

games from Ninja theories 2010 Alex

Garland penned and Andy Circus starring

Xbox 360 adaptation enslaved Odyssey to

the west to airator ama's World

conquering Dragon Ball it's a world of

myth and monkeys that lends itself

perfectly to gaming black myth wukong's

stunning visuals cinematic Beauty and

refreshing sense of speed could well

make it the best playable adaptation of

the Fable to date but the unreserved

excitement I would otherwise feel about

it is being trampled by the elephant in

the room guys I'm going to be honest

with you I cannot believe that they

wrote this the elephant in the room huh

I would imagine the elephant in the room

is the fact that the report from IGN was

found to be heavily mistranslated and

misrepresented spreading misinformation

about a studio either by the way of

IGN's ignorance or their malice the

report that they mention is something

that was pared by almost every other

gaming news site headlines with this

narrative ran wild since the reveal of

Blackmouth wukong's trailer a few years

ago making sure that players know yeah

the game looks cool but guys this is a

very bad developer this

misrepresentation even led to game

science's Studio allegedly being

vandalized by the people that were

claiming to do it based on that news of

the Studio's quote unquote sexist

culture eventually through social media

readers and critics pointed out the

mistranslations hell asmin Gold's editor

Clips editor did a better job of

reporting and investigating showing all

of the mistranslations context IGN

published an article trying to smear the

company and the devs behind black myth

Wukong as some sexist freaks because of

some of their employees social media

posts the article cites one of their

artists who basically did the still wood

meme about this monster the problem is

that this game journalist either by

sheer incompetence or malice translated

these posts in the most uncharitable way

possible and this is nothing compared to

the most egregious mistranslation after

one of the game company Founders posted

this in 2020 apologizing for the

lackluster trailer of black myth Wukong

just released now how on Earth do you

get I want to expand my circle and hire

more people get licked until I can't get

an erection in reality the actual

translation completely changes the

meaning of what he was saying not

satisfied I went back checking if anyone

called this out when it happened and

they did and ultimately this all led to

the original writer of the IGN report

giving a backhanded non-apology avoiding

the conversation of mistranslation still

perpetuating the lie and upset over game

science's lack of response and that the

game with a monkey king and a bunch of

anthropomorphic characters doesn't have

enough bem coded character characters I

am beyond myself the G to come forward

and say something like maybe they don't

want to say anything because they're

afraid to say the wrong thing what

exactly is the wrong

thing because apparently you already

think they said it to begin with even

though it was all mistranslated and

misrepresented in the first place sure

they may have said some crude things but

you don't understand their culture or

the intricacies of their language and

how they use colloquialisms and things

like that so you're just a applying what

you believe onto what they are

saying I'm just I'm appalled it's just

ridiculous is what it is I'm shocked I

don't even really know how to respond to

something like this I think that Western

critics and game journalists not all of

them but some of them view these Chinese

made games and games made in some other

countries as a threat because these are

Studios that will not fall in line with

whatever their narrative is even if they

are in the wrong because there are times

and there have been times in the past

where the media was wrong about

something but still wanted and still

pressured the studios to do something

and say something that otherwise went

against it and that's exactly what

they're trying to do now still running

with the exact same narrative even

though it's already been disproven what

is the point of

that because now what they want is is

that even though it's been disproven

well we still want you to tell us that

you like

women what are you doing what is the

point of this and even more so when

you're putting out an article talking

about the overall feeling of the game

how much you enjoyed the game and then

you have to put something like that in

there like we don't know what you're

trying to

do trying to spin a narrative around

this game to make it feel like high man

you should probably feel bad about

playing this game guys you should feel

bad about it they're bad people over

there they say mean things on the

internet they say crude things on the

internet how dare they I think the worst

thing possible out of all the things

that they said was there was an image of

like a snake woman like a lady that was

like her head was this regular person

but her body was like a snake it was

some like horror creature and they're

like still

would are you

serious what like like they're not

allowed to be human and take part in

meme culture are you serious what is

this but like this like thought policing

and I don't know man like I'm so happy

that their position was we're working on

the demo right now now and that's the

only thing that we want to talk about

because at the end of the day that's the

only thing that actually matters the

game matters what they do outside of

that has no impact whatsoever on what

consumers actually care about in the

first place some of these developers not

developers some of these journalists and

games media heads wonder why they're

losing subscribers want to know why

they're losing readers well it's

probably because the fact you keep

putting things in your articles and in

these discussions that don't belong

there in the first place

I originally went to go and read that

article because it was talking about

their first impressions and I was just

trying to gather a bunch of people's

First Impressions on the game and then

all of a sudden you want to go off on

this tangent on something that was

already disproven in the first place

what are we

doing what is

this you know this isn't the first time

we've seen this the Wizard game yeah

that's right Hogwarts Legacy game

critics and journalists dog piled this

game as hard as they could wired.com

gave it a one out of 10 not because of

the gameplay not because of the

Aesthetics but because of the fact that

JK Rawling had something to do with it

even though they're just the creator of

the source material and actually had

nothing to do with the actual creation

of the video game but that that didn't

matter meanwhile a slew of other

reviewers boycotted even reviewing the

game in the first place some magazines

didn't even post reviews whatsoever and

many of those that did actually review

it still made sure to drop a little

piece of their mind about JK Rowling in

the reviews what are the chances that we

see the same thing with black smth

Wukong is it going to suffer the same

fate regardless of how many people tried

to derail hogwart's Legacy it ended up

being the first title in 15 years to

beat Call of Duty in sales selling 23

million copies in 2023 proving that

social issues have no impact whatsoever

on what games players want to play and

what they want to buy hell back when

Activision Blizzard went through their

major controversy the players that were

leaving the game weren't leaving because

of what happened at the company they

were quitting because the game sucked

and as soon as they came out with a new

expansion the vast majority of the

players returned to the game I think

that there are those in media today that

are afraid of losing influence afraid of

games Studios and Publishers that they

can't pressure in some way shape or form

if the readers aren't listening and the

game makers don't listen either then

their relevance is nothing more than a

flickering Candle in the Wind and

they're running out of Wick there is no

verifiable proof of game science

mistreating their employees and the only

thing that you have to go off of are

some jokes that they have made on the

internet that any other humanid would

make things that you see all of the time

creating victims out of thin air what's

probably worse for them is the truth

that they're coming to realize customers

only care about the value of the product

itself and not how it was made or who it

was made by catering to these Niche

audiences who actually do BU Things

based on morals is useless because

likely they don't even exist in the

first place and even if they did they

probably don't even play video games

this is only another factor that

devalues the perspective and the voice

of traditional games media and and

reviewers and I know that there are good

professional journalists and reviewers

that are out there but I wish that they

were calling this kind of stuff out

especially the writer from IGN and the

guardian because this is only serving to

damage their credibility and The

credibility of all games media the lack

of independent thought and reasoning

within games media today is staggering

it just blows my mind at this point I

cannot wait for black myth Wukong to

come out not because I can't wait to

play it which obviously I can't wait to

play it but just see the hot takes

because you know for a fact because for

how long some of these different

articles journalists and media sites

have been running this headline and

running with this narrative you know

they're going to be including that stuff

going forward still trying to ask and

find out yeah but you still didn't say

that you know it doesn't reflect on your

studio or anything like that what does

that even matter like they haven't made

a joke or a crude joke or anything like

that in the past it's

so

disingenuous and that's one of the

reasons why the vast majority of people

have just completely turned off of

reading articles or IGN or any of these

companies anymore is because it's so

disingenuous it's so fake it's so fake

you don't care about any of these things

you're just searching for a headline

that you hope will get clicks that's all

it is everybody can see it everybody

knows it you're most of the stuff now

you're just making it up out of thin

air it's just even worse because now

it's not only that you know we didn't

find you entertaining right so we

stopped reading because of that but now

we can't even trust the words that you

say because you're just going to say

whatever you want to hopefully try to

get somebody to look at what you're

saying what's funny is and I should have

brought this up I might end up making

another video about this but recently I

just saw that PC Gamer put out a article

talking about putting Community notes on

YouTube videos and how this games writer

was talking about how you know how much

YouTubers like to lie pot calling the

kettle black

meanwhile none of these journalists seem

to hold each other accountable you guys

ever noticed that you see YouTubers all

the time they'll go back and forth

somebody will say something they'll hold

them honest they'll make videos on it

obviously they can Farm it but you don't

often see any of these games journalist

ever going after one another for

anything somebody writes a bad article

or they lie about something or

misrepresent something nobody wants to

talk about it at least not on the

professional side I mean they could call

that

professionalism I could call it

dishonest

anyway I'm looking forward to black myth

Wukong what about you

guys anyway I'm going to get out of here

thank you guys for watching I hope you

guys enjoyed the video If you guys did

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anyway stay cool stay righteous stay

safe my friends and I will see you guys

in the next video peace family family

family family